This invention relates to a connector used mainly for connecting a wire harness of an automobile, and more particularly to a connector having a terminal holder provided at a rear portion thereof.
In FIG. 8 , a connector housing a includes a hood portion a.sub.1 and a terminal receiving portion a.sub.2, and metal terminals c are received in terminal receiving chambers b. A retaining member d is releasably attached to the terminal receiving portion a.sub.2 from the rear end thereof to cover the outer surface thereof, and this retaining member is fixed by engaging a lock arm e with a projection f.
In a condition (FIG. 9 ) in which the connector housing a and the retaining member d are connected together, projections h formed on flexible deformable plates c extend respectively through slits i into the terminal receiving chambers b to engage stepped portions of the metal terminals c, respectively, thereby preventing rearward withdrawal of these metal terminals.
In the above conventional art, the retaining of the metal terminal in the terminal receiving chamber is unstable, and the metal terminal is subjected to lateral shaking, and therefore it is difficult to properly maintain the posture of fitting of the metal terminal with its mating metal terminal. As a result, when connecting the connector housings together, the end faces of the female and male metal terminals are liable to impinge on each other, which causes withdrawal of the terminal and an imperfect contact.